Softball Game Preview: Whitney Wildcats vs. Valencia Tigers

The Whitney Wildcats will head out to square off against the Valencia Tigers at 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Whitney is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.

Whitney is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 18 runs two weeks ago, they were much more limited against Cerritos on Tuesday. They lost 9-2 to the Dons.

Whitney saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Chiugo Anyama, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run.

Meanwhile, Valencia entered their tilt with Calvary Chapel on Friday with six consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with seven. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured an 8-7 W against the Eagles.

Rihanna Smith was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Cassie Queen, who went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.

Valencia's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-10. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Whitney, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-10 record this season.

Whitney came up short against Valencia in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, falling 6-1. Can the Wildcats avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.